


Ecdysis

by raven_aorla



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Caretaking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, INFINITY WARS SPOILERS, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 13:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14473557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven_aorla/pseuds/raven_aorla
Summary: Ecdysis is the process by which all arthropods, including insects and spiders, form a new exoskeleton and shed the old. It's necessary for their growth. During that time, they are extremely vulnerable.Mantis decides to look after the human boy with the arthropod characteristics, if only briefly.





	Ecdysis

When the Guardians and the Avengers are finished devising their plan and mostly finished fine-tuning it, Mantis turns and places a hand on Parker’s cheek. From the neck down is his special exoskeleton, which given Quill’s reaction is atypical for humans, so the skin there is the best location to read him. 

“Why are you doing that?” he asks with a flare of anxiety, even though she’s already made it clear that if she were to have offspring, they would not be parasites at any part of their life cycle.

“Because Mr. Stark said you’re a child.” She doesn’t know how to explain herself fully. Besides, she’s too occupied with absorbing Parker’s feelings. _Thirst. Excitement. Weariness. Familial love. Hunger. Curiosity. Fear._

Everyone except Drax is now talking about things that don’t directly concern her and Parker, so she lets go of Parker’s face and pokes Drax in the arm. “I’m taking him to wait in our ship.”

Drax glances at him. “Why?”

“Because he’s a child.”

Drax understands right away, or at least enough. He once had a child, and Mantis would never be able to bear touching him a second time while he’s thinking of her. “I’ll tell the metal man chaperoning him when he’s finished arguing with Quill.”

“He’s not my chaperone, and I’m not a child,” Parker protests.

“You’re not an adult, though,” Mantis says, motioning for him to follow her to the ship.

“No, I’m a [child], not a child, and I’m definitely not a [child].”

“My translation implant doesn't impart the full meaning of subtle cultural distinctions.” Terrans don’t have this technology yet. She needs to be patient with him.

His eyebrows go up. “You have a translation implant?”

It turns out that the promise of having technology explained to him is enough to get him to run after her. She gets him to explain that he’s actually a mammal with a few arthropod characteristics due to an accident, rather than a hybrid like Quill, and that this exoskeleton is a form of armor. His babbling gets them all the way through the doors and onto the main deck.

“I should probably keep it on, in case we get attacked - wow, this is your ship? It’s a really cool ship. There’s this kinda old TV series - do you have TV? - called Firefly, about humans in space in a comfy little ship instead of a big creepy one like I got stuck on. Not that I’m saying your ship is really small, I’m saying it’s...”

She points to a chair. “Sit. Our captain’s digestive system is human, so you should be able to consume one of his meals safely.” Not all the Guardians can eat the same foods.

Parker protests, saying he doesn’t want to impose and he’s fine, really, but he can’t fool her. He gives up, draining the water and scarfing down the shrink-wrapped ration like he hasn’t eaten in solar cycles.

“Weird, it tasted like barbecue sauce,” he comments at the end. She doesn’t know what that is, but he’s smiling. “Uh, I mean, thank you. Do you have a bathroom?”

They can’t spare the water for him to wash when their next resupply stop is now uncertain, but she shows him the sanitizing wipes and he uses one on his sweaty face as well. When he’s done, he sits next to her on a couch nearby. She puts a hand on his cheek again.

“Seriously, it creeps me out when you do that,” he mumbles, fidgeting.

“You’re very tired,” she says softly. She’s learned that people don’t like being told they’re afraid.

He edges away. “Are you reading my mind?”

“Only your emotions.”

“But _why_?”

Her head hurts, and her chest. She can’t tell him everything and still keep going. “There were children I didn’t help. They’re all dead now. I could have tried, but I didn’t. At least I can use my powers to know how to help you, even if it’s only the smallest amount, when there’s nothing I can do to help anyone else until Thanos comes. Why would someone even bring someone so young to a place like this?”

He stares at her for a moment, then leans forward. “With great power comes great responsibility. I brought myself. And, and I think I have a least a some of an idea of how you feel.” He gently takes her wrist and puts her hand on his face again.

_Wonder, guilt, grief, familial love, empathy, gratitude, determination, fear, exhaustion -_

“Sleep,” she says, sending the order from her skin to his. He immediately drops off. She lays him out as comfortably as she can, with a cushion under his head the way Quill likes it for naps. She sits next to him in order to wake him when it’s time.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're wondering, Peter said, "I'm an adolescent, not a child, and I'm definitely not a baby." Some alien languages make similar distinctions, I'm sure, but for this story I'm presuming Mantis' native language doesn't.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
